Sweet Corn Pheromone Trap Network

for Western NY - 2007

This is a seasonal scouting report giving growers in the Western New
York area information on the presence of sweet corn pests and recommendations
on scouting and thresholds. The report is written by
Abby Seaman, NYS IPM's Area
Extension Educator for Vegetables.

For 5/29/07

ECB moths are being caught in low to moderate numbers at five of the
six locations reporting this week. I expect catches to increase
significantly over the next week.

Split field demonstrations have shown that applying insecticides to
sweet corn for worm control before tassel emergence does not produce
better results than waiting until the recommended tassel-emergence spray
timing.

Corn started under plastic or row cover is an exception to this
rule.

Fields started under plastic or row cover will be very attractive to
egg-laying moths because the plants are larger than those in bare ground
fields. We have found that using the usual tassel emergence scouting
and thresholds do not work in corn started under plastic or row cover.
John Mishanec has had good results in trials in which pheromone trap
catches were used to time sprays in row cover or plastic corn. Growers
waited until there was a significant increase in the ECB trap catches in
their area and then timed sprays to coincide with egg hatch. ECB eggs
require 100 degree days (base 50) from oviposition to hatch. Degree day
accumulations for many locations may be found on the
NEWA web site.

Or to calculate base 50 degree days, add the daily maximum
temperature and the daily minimum temperature, divide by 2, and subtract
50. For example, if the maximum temperature for a day is 85 and the
minimum is 60, (85+60)/2 = 72.5 - 50 = 22.5 degree days. At that rate
of accumulation, eggs would hatch about 5 days after oviposition.

Location

ECB-E

ECB-Z

CEW

FAW

Baldwinsville (Onondaga Co.)

1

0

0

NA

Batavia (Genesee Co.)

0

0

NA

NA

Bellona (Yates Co.)

3

0

NA

NA

Eden Z (Erie Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Farmington (Ontario Co.)

8

0

NA

NA

Hamlin (Monroe Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Kennedy (Chautauqua Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

King Ferry (Cayuga Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Kirkville (Madison Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

LeRoy (Genesee Co.)

4

6

0

0

Lockport (Niagara Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Medina (Orleans Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Olean (Cattaraugus Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Owego (Tioga Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Penn Yan (Yates Co.)

18

7

NA

NA

Spencerport (Monroe Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Williamson (Wayne Co.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

NYS IPM on:

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